Mobile Systems

Evolution of computing devices is from mainframes, then to mini-computers, then to micro-computers (PCs), and now to handheld and embedded computers. The introduction of mobility is one of the most significant developments of recent years in the rapidly converging areas of computing and telecommunications. It is rapidly changing the way we compute and communicate. Mobile computing is a combination of communication technologies, computing devices and their components, and access technologies such as wireless networks. The applications of mobile computing and wireless networks include e-commerce, personal communications, telecommunications, monitoring remote or dangerous environments, national defence, emergency and disaster operations, remote operations of applications, and wireless Internet access.

Mobile Computing and Distributed Systems (MCDS) research group conducts the researches and scholarships to fulfill the University mission, plan and research strategy in the areas of Mobile Computing, Distributed Systems, Networks and Control, and E-Commerce. It has a strong commitment to the teaching and research in both BSC and MSC degrees in Mobile Computing.

The group has the collaborations in both teaching and research with the universities in Asia and EU. Currently the group holds an Asia-link project funded by EU, a China-link project funded by Royal Society, a collaborated project with the several partners in Japan funded by EPSRC and is a co-investigator of a UK-China network project funded by EPSRC. All the above projects enhance the collaborations in research and teaching with the partners in both Asia and Europe.

The main aims of the research group are as follows:

• To promote the research efforts taking place in the area of mobile computing, distributed  systems and networks and control in Staffordshire University.
• To apply mobile computing and control techniques in real-world engineering problems. 
• To create high external visibility for the emerging research and recent output in mobile computing supported by the new MSc/BSc courses in Mobile Computing which will help in attracting funding and high quality research students. 
• To maintain a critical mass or staff and research students that will be visible both internally and externally. 
• To help individual members of the group in applying for and obtaining research Council and industrial funding through joint applications. 
• To coordinate the research efforts between the different projects within the group. 
• To facilitate and encourage research collaboration between the members of the group and the other research groups in the Faculty, the University and beyond.

Link to current conferences, projects and publications.

Prof Hongnian Yu: 

• Modelling and control of complex interactive networks; Internet congestion control.

• Applied artificial intelligence including scheduling and planning; Business process management, manufacturing systems and supply chains; Modelling, scheduling, control and simulation of car production systems; Petri net modelling of manufacturing systems.

• Dynamics and control including robot and non-linear control; Robust and adaptive control; Iterative learning control; System identification; Dynamics of robot including electric drives; Computer aided design of control systems. 

Dr Alison Carrington:

• Mobile computer and communications networks including Cellular, Personal and AD-Hoc Networks; Routing and user mobility issues (handover); Quality of Service (QoS) including loss and delays and losses, loss of physical connection, signalling traffic and bandwidth on demand allocation techniques.  Faculty Opnet website. 

Dr Justin Champion: 

• The Storage and Supply of Data within a 3rd Generation Cellular Framework).

Mr Adel Aneiba: 

• Mobile Communications

Miss Carolin Bauer:  

• Data Forwarding for Constant QoS in Multi-service, Multi-tier Cellular Systems of the 3rd Generation

Mr John Byrne
Mr Martin Fiddler:

• Development of Virtual Learning Environments for Film Production Technology Course. Visual Basic development. Internet Development and Video Streaming

David Gillibrand:

• Mobile and object-oriented development, specifically Design patterns, Frameworks, persisting O-O applications to relational databases, J2ME, smart clients for mobile applications, enterprise applications

Mr Khawar Hameed: 

• The Diffusion of Mobile Technology in Higher Education 
   

Mr Christopher Harding:

• Mobile Communications

Mr Mohammad S Hasan: 

• Networked Control Systems

 
Mr Kelvin Hilton 
  
Mr Pirooz Saeidi:

• Parallel Processing & Programming. Distributed Systems.  Web Caching.  Programming  Internet Applications.  Operational Research, Optimisation and Combinatorila Analysis.) 

Mr Sam Wane: 

• Robotics, path planning, sensors and interfacing.

Associated Researchers:  
Prof Brian Boffey Liverpool University  
Dr T.C Yang  Sussex University